Nut blank sorter for tapping machines and the like



Feb. 14, 1933. J 'H FRIEDMAN 1,897,116

NUT BLANK SORTER FOR TAPPING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 16, 1932 Gamma.

Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOEY rnmnm, OI TIFFIN, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE NATIONAL IACH INEBY COMPANY, OF TIFFIN, OHIO m BLAIR BOBTEB FOR TAPPmG MACHINES AND THE I'm Application filed February 18, 1982. Serial 1T0. 598,387.

This invention relates to sorting means for use in connection with tapping machines, burring machines, nut machines, nuttmg machines, castellatin machines and the like.

Heretofore nut lanks to be threaded'have been elevated to the upper end of a chute and there fed by gravity so as to be positionedsuccessively in the path of a lunger or the like used for directing the blan s into enga ement with a holder and a tap. It is desira le that the top face of the blank be first presented to the ta and an object of the invention is to provi e a simple and efiicient means whereby nuts which are not placed for proper resentation to the tap will be automatically discarded without requiring the use of any movable parts especially provided for that purpose.

It is the general practice to kee a supply of blanks in a hopper and to direct lanks therefrom into a chute where they are held in line while traveling toward the tap. Obviously some of the blanks will be placed in the chute with their convex faces in line with the fiat faces of the other blanks and unless some means is provided for arranging all of the blanks so as to face the same way many of them will not be presented properly to the t has been found that the simplest and most eflicient way in which to handle the blanks is to discharge from the feed chute all of those which are not properly arranged so that only those entering the c ute correctly positioned will pass on to the tap. One of the ob'ects of the invention is to provide the feed c ute with a discarding means which will ermit the passa thereover only of those blanks facing in t e required direction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will ap ar as the description proceeds, the inventlon resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that ferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a feed chute for a nut tapping machine. 1

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2, Figure 1, the retaining plate being in elevation.

Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating the action when discarding a blank. I

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates a transversely inclined plate above which is. sup orted the base 2 of an upstanding backing p ate 3. The plate 1 is connected to the base 2 by screws 4 or the like which are extended through slots '5, and at the back ed e of the base there is provided a depending ange 6 carrying an adJuSting screw 7.

The backing plate 3 is perpendicular to the inclined plate 1 and parallel with the up I provide a narrow inclined ledge 9 extending throughout the length of the late.

Posts 10 are extended from t e upper portion of the front face of the backing plate and overhang the ledge 9. A retaining plate 11 is suspended loosely from these posts. The feed chute includes a receiving portion 12 which serves to conduct blanks B to one end of ledge 9 and a delivering portion 13 for receiving blanks as they leave the other end of the ledge. The bottom 14 of the ortion- 12 has its up er surface below the l vel of the top of le ge 9 so that a shoulder 15 is formed by one end of the led e. As the backing plate3is flush with the ack of the portion 12 of the chute it will be apparent that the gap between the two ortions 12 and 13 will be bridged solely by t e narrow ledge 9.

The plate 3 is inclined at such an an le that the center of gravity of a. blank leamng thereagainst will extend back of the edg 8. Thus a nut resting with its flat face against the plate will be properly supported for sliding movement. The plate 1 is adjustable to form v a ledge 9 the depth of which is slightly less than the hei ht of the curved portion 0 of the convex ace of the nut' at any corner of the blank B. This depth can 1 be adjusted readily by means of screws 7 and 4 to adapt the device to the size and shape of the nuts being acted upon.

The blanks are directed into the receiving 5 portion 12 of the chute by any suitable means and are caused to slide therealong, toward the led e 9. Each will natural] resent one of its at sides to the bottom 0 tlie chute so as to slide therealong. As each blank reaches the shoulder 15 it will be tripped thereby and caused to make a artial rotation as it rolls onto the ledge. I the flat face of the nut is so located as to slidabli engage the inclined backin plate, the blan will besup orted proper y by the narrow ledge 9 an slide therealon to the delivery portion 13 of the chute. owever if the convex face is nearest the backing late a rounded corner ortion a will move ownwardly onto the le ge and as the ledge is not sufiiciently dee to support a blank when thus presents thereto the said blank will slip on by avity and all into a trough 16 or the like w ich will return it to the mass of blanks awaiting action of the feedin mechanism.

As the lanks pass along the led e they will move back of the retaining p ate 11 which tends to press them lightly against the backin plate without interfering with 'the discar 'ng action of the device.

As a ver minute adjustment of the ledge can be ma e the device can be set to discard nuts of all sizes and shapes provided one face of each nut is rounded at the corners.

What is claimed is:

1. A sorter for crowned nut blanks including a chute for supporting a series of alining blanks on their lower s1des for sliding movement an inclined backing plate at the end of said chute, a ledge cooperating with the backing plate to form an angle for supporting blanks only when their plain faces are positioned a j the backin late, and nut tripping means at one end 0 t e ledge.

2. A sorter for crowned nut blanks including a chute for slidably supporting a series of nuts on their lower sides, an inclined backing plate, a relatively narrow led e projecting from the plate for en porting lanks only when seated snugly in t e an le formed by the ledge and plate and-with t eir plain faces positioned adjacent to or against the backing plate, said plate being inclined at such an angle as to bring the center of ava i of a supported blank close to but in rent 0 the plate, and a loosely mounted retaining dev ce suspended above the ledge.

3. A sorter for crowned nut blanks including a chute having a blank receivin portion anda blank delivering portion, sai portions being spaced apart, a relatively narrow ledge bridging the space between said rtions, means upstandi from the ledge $5 or holding blanks in inchned positions on acent to or against holding blanks in inclined the ledge only when their plain faces are adjacent to or a ainst said means, and means for adjusting t e ledge to different widths.

4. A sorter for crowned nut blanks including a chute having a blank receiving portion and a blank delivering portion, said portions bein spaced apart, a relatively narrow ledge bri ging the space between said portions, means upstanding from the ledge for holding blanks in inclined ositions on the ledge only when their plain aces are against or ad acent to said means, and means for trapping the blanks as they move onto the le ge.

5. A sorter for crowned nut blanks including a chute having a blank receivin portion and a blank delivering portion, sai portions bein spaced apart, a relatively narrow "ledge bri ging the s ace between said portions, means upstan ing from the ledgefor holding blanks in inclined ositions on the ledge only when their plain aces are against or adjacent to said means, said ledge being' disposed at one end above the bottom of the chute to provide a blank trippin shoulder.

6. A sorter for crowned nut lanks including a chute having a blank receivin portion and a blank delivering portion, sai portions bein spaced apart, a relatively narrow ledge bri ging the ace between said portions, means upstandln from the ledge for holding blanks in inclined ositions on the ledge only when their'plain aces are a ainst or adjacent to said means, said ledge ing disposed at one end above the bottom of the chute to provide a blanktripping shoulder, and a retainin element overhanging the ledge for loose y bearing upon supported blanks.

7. A sorter for crowned nut blanks including a chute having a blank receivin portion and a blank delivering portion, sai portions bein spaced apart, a relatively narrow ledge bri ging the space between said portions, means upstanding from the ledge for g ositions on the ledge only when their plain aces are against or adjacent to said means, and a blank return spout beneath the ledge.

8. A sorter for nut blanks including a chute having a blank receiving portion and a blank delivering portion, said portions being spaced apart, a relatively narrow ledge bridgmg the space between said ortions, means u standing from the ledge or h0lding bla s in inclined positions on the ledge only when their plain faces are against or adjacent to said means, means for tri ping the blanks as they move onto the le ge, a

blank returning chute beneath the ledge, and

a means above the ledge for retaining blanks supported by the ledge.

In testimony that .claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

JOHN H. FRIEDMAN. 

